West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses an election rally in Jalpaiguri district on Saturday
| Photo Credit: PTI
Slamming the language used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at election rallies, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said she will give the BJP a “jhatka” (shock).
Addressing a rally in Jalpaiguri, the Trinamool Congress chairperson said Home Minister Amit Shah had said, “sabko lakta denge (will hang them)”. “I tell them jhakta denge (will give them shock),” she said.
“Prime Minister says ‘chunaav ke baad, choon choon ke jail mein bharenge (will pick and put people in prison after elections) and the Home Minister says sabko latka denge (will hang them). We will give them jhatka,” Ms. Banerjee said.
While Mr. Modi spoke about putting people in prison during the ongoing campaign, Mr. Shah had made the “latka denge” comment last year in Bihar. “Let Prime Minister Narendra Modi return to power in 2024 and help BJP form its own government in the Assembly polls which would follow. All the rioters will be hung upside down (ulta latka denge),” the Home Minister had said in April 2023.
Ms. Banerjee said “migratory election birds are coming to Bengal and are using unacceptable language.”
“Has anyone ever heard such caustic language before,” she asked. The Chief Minister said had anyone from her party used such language, she would have expelled that person.
While campaigning in north Bengal, Ms. Banerjee said most seats in the region and in Jangalmahal went to the BJP in the last Lok Sabha election, but the party did nothing for the people. “I wouldn’t have had any issues had they worked for the people just as we did,” she said.
“While we do the work for the people, the BJP only gives slogans in the name of religion. Will it feed people or put food on their plates,” the Chief Minister asked.
Three seats in north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar will go to polls in the first phase on April 19.
Abhishek targets PM for ‘mughal mindset’ comment
Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “Mughal mindset” comment.
“The PM said those who eat fish during this holy month are not devout Hindus. He said they are Mughals. My question to the PM is, does he know that in our culture Durga Puja and Kali Puja rituals are not complete without fish and meat in many Hindu households? What does his minister Nisith Pramanik have to say about this,” the Diamond Harbour MP asked.
The Prime Minister, while addressing a public meeting in Udhampur, launched a veiled attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing the Opposition leaders of demonstrating a “Mughal mindset” and “teasing” the people of the country by consuming non-vegetarian food in the holy month of Sawan and posting a video online.